Casual Spring Style, My Way

Truthfully, I’ll just never be a pastels-and-florals kind of gal. (Not that I have anything against either, and I often find them charming on others.) But a little color, even pink, can work its way into my comfort zone if it’s the right pink and the right piece. And if I keep everything else easy and slouchy.

Unbeknownst to us both at the time, Lisa (my friend who blogs at Privilege) and I purchased the same tee a few weeks ago. (Great minds…) You can see Lisa’s peeking out from beneath her camel coat here. And I wore mine in this recent Instagram…

…though I thought the tee was too long, even with a half-tuck, and have since had it shortened. You’ll see it again soon in another outfit post.

And florals? Scarves I can do for sure. I also like a floral fragrance in spring and summer, as long as it’s not too cloying. And as long as there’s some warmth in the base notes.

The first part of April has really zoomed by, and my schedule is very full for the next few weeks. Later this week I’m traveling to Dallas for a blogger conference, then shortly after I get home from that we leave for Italy. It’s all very exciting but I still have a lot to do in preparation!

Do you like colors and patterns traditionally associated with Spring, or is your style more seasonally agnostic?

13 Comments

Wearing color is my default. I like all colors except olive green and khaki. My favorite color is red. I look best in a warm peachy pink but I can wear other shades. I like pastels but I rarely wear them near my face. I think they wash me out.

That pink is great on you Susan! I bought my first floral this spring and am really enjoying it. The problem I’m finding is it’s limited wearability because the pattern is memorable. It’s certainly easier to repeat florals with a scarf. I’m also dabbling in pastels this spring for the first time in 40 years and enjoying the softer look next to my aging complexion.

I do like your term ‘seasonally agnostic’ ! Yes I often wear Autumn clothes in Spring – not just because of the need for on/off temperature control but because traditional such colours ; rust , coral , dark greens happen to suit me . I can’t manage pastels (unless cream counts) without looking ill and they seem to attract stains worse than white ! I have nothing against floral prints in theory but often feel that the scale is wrong on me – I’m petite . But then my mother was even smaller than me and had a really good eye for prints – perhaps I haven’t found the right one yet ?
That pink with the black on you is just right .

Have looked at that tee online and wondered…every now and then I buy something in a bright color, wear it once and never again. I just don’t feel good in bright colors–the farthest I can go is a brighter blue or light blue denim and a brighter color in a subtle print. Think the advantage of this type of dressing is that you can buy good quality clothes and wear them for a long time.

Hmmm … although I may never figure out out what works for me permanently, I am definitely fond of black, grey, navy, denim, other blues, brown, camel and white. I know I achieve a lower “cost per wear” from neutrally colored clothes items and will always spend a lot more money on a piece made of solid, dark fabric than a flamboyantly colored or floral, graphic or other print.

That’s probably why I (like so many other women) have too many pairs of black pants hanging in my closet.

Color-splurging for me means buying a black and green three-quarter sleeve wool jacket, a red leather jacket, a purple wool turtleneck. In summer, I reflexively pair neutral-colored jeans and pants with white and other demurely hued tops (this year’s pale pink suits me just fine). My “bling” during all seasons shows up in the form of purses, scarves, bracelets and earrings.

Love that pink! It’s such a happy color and fortunately I can wear it. I stick to “my” colors, especially in the fall, as I cannot due the drab golds and greens (but they sure do look great on the right complexion/hair colors). I probably would not wear this bright pink in the fall and stick to shades of grays, browns and dark blues and perhaps sneak in some fall notes in a scarf or leaf jewelry. Btw, what shade is your lipstick? And did you go even lighter with your hair color? I’m getting lighter like that in some places (when the medium-to-light blond begins to fade) but some areas are still coming through dark. I feel like I will end up with that light color all over eventually. 🙂

Seasonally agnostic. I like that, it perfectly describes me. I have added some red, in my glasses and a handbag, but otherwise my wardrobe consists of black, gray, white. I am trying to add some more red, but pink? No, though a deeper pink like your tee would probably work for me.

Hi Susan,great post as always. If it is a fashion bloggers conference in Dallas, look up Tanya Foster, Tanya Foster inc and Kathy Williamson of The Middle Page. Awesome women. Love their blogs. Never met either of them, but they are my “virtual” friends. Have fun!

Will never pay $120 for a t-shirt, Kenzo, Paris,or not! Plenty of nice colorful smart t-shirts at a fraction of cost. Most important, iron them after a wash. They will look like new again! Cool iron! If you are very slim, tuck in a small corner, otherwise please don’t!!
I like that you are not trying to be “matchy, matchy”, yet your style in the long run becomes boring. I realize that this is SOCAL dressing, so I give you a pass. Wouldn’t pass in New York, regardless of age or for that matter in any more sophisticated cities around the world. Too much of a uniform, age or size having nothing to do with it. The first 18 years of my life I had to wear a uniform, perhaps that is why I try harder to distinguish myself from the crowd!